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Ford Freestar Service Experiences

16 messages,  Last post on Jun 04, 2013 at 2:59 PM

You are in the Ford Freestar Forum.

What is this discussion about? Ford Freestar, Mercury Monterey, Van

Messages Page 2 of 3

#5 of 16 2004 Freestar with multiple issues by jnunnally73

Feb 16, 2008 (11:04 am)

I own a 2004 Freestar, which I might add comes with a significant monthly payment. Reveiws stated a minivan with comfort and reliability like never before. After 3 years of run time, and less than 70,000 miles, the vehicle of "reliablity" turned into the vehicle of "liability"! In late October of 2007, I left the parking lot after work, engaged drive and made it another 50 feet before the van died as I continued to roll. Luckily at that time, I was only going 10 mph. After $100 tow bill, and nearly 9 days at the dealership, I was told that "Catastrophic" failure occured withitn the transmission body. That is hard for me to comprehend, when the van showed no indicator lights or hard shift patterns, even at the time of failure. Needless to say, the 3/36,000 had expired. So $3,000.00 and 12 working days later, I get the van back from the Ford dearlership. Four days later, same symptons. Only this time, I had my children in the vehicle with me at the time I was traveling at a rate of 35 mph through town. I regained control of the van without power steering or assisted braking. I immediately called the dealership, paid another tow bill, and waited 3 working days for a diagnosis. I was told that I had significant water damage to the PCN board located under the cawl panel (excuse the spelling). A transmission and a PCN board within four days! Come on, I don't buy that! But I did, and paid another $280.00 for a tube of silicone to be applied to the plastic housing that the board is mounted in. Dealership assured me that the board was fine, "here you go". Three months later, same symptoms. Only this time, I finally get a transmission indicator light on the dash. Tow bill number 3 later, and 7 working days, I was told that the board needs replaced. FINE!! The only saving grace I might have is that the Service Manager I demanded to get involved, admitted to me that Ford is issuing service bulletins on Freestar PCN failures due to the design of the hood and how body seems allow water to land directly on the PCN housing! After asking the manager what the PCN does for my van, he explained, among many other functions, that it controls transmission shifting through electrical buss cables. Did I really need the $3,000.00 transmission, or just the board that controls it???? Oh, I forgot to mention, at the time of this last failure, I was traveling 55 mph on a two lane highway, lost complete engine power, steering, and braking: then played "chicken" with a semi hauling silica sand. I'm guessing I would have lost that one and my children would have lost their dad! How much more has to happen before Ford admits complete failure of their design, stops putting peoples' lives at risk, and offers to make it right monetarily with those who have survived, and issues a world wide recall for those still at risk. If Ford wants to build an American made car and ask Americans to buy it, rather than a foreign made model, then they need to step up and protect the American consumer. I am so ready to go public with my travesty, if they won't protect my family in the family vehicle they made, then I will!
 
Jason Nunnally
103 E Pike St
Attica, IN 47918

#6 of 16 Re: 2004 Freestar with multiple issues [jnunnally73] by Karen@Edmunds HOST

Feb 18, 2008 (11:43 am)

Replying to: jnunnally73 (Feb 16, 2008 11:04 am)
You may want to check out this discussion, http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX/.f0fb94a/202. You're not alone with these issues.

#7 of 16 Re: 2004 Freestar with multiple issues [KarenS] by phishlover

Apr 20, 2008 (7:46 pm)

Replying to: Karen@Edmunds (Feb 18, 2008 11:43 am)
Your provided link is broken.

#8 of 16 Re: 2004 Freestar with multiple issues [phishlover] by Karen@Edmunds HOST

Apr 22, 2008 (11:53 am)

Replying to: phishlover (Apr 20, 2008 7:46 pm)
Link structure has changed since that was posted. This is where it goes now. Ford Freestar Transmission.

#9 of 16 Re: 2004 Freestar with multiple issues [jnunnally73] by 5catsathome

Jul 12, 2008 (7:59 am)

Replying to: jnunnally73 (Feb 16, 2008 11:04 am)
Hello Jason.... Well, I have not had my 2004 Freestar pretty much for 6 weeks now. My car was "fixed" mid june and I took the family to the Cape for a week. Low and behold, my car died in Provincetown...and had to be towed to Ayer, MA...some 140 miles or so away. Oh, the two operator thought the problem was a a bad battery and had me drive the car to Eastham...some 20 miles away..we bucked the whole way. The dealership kept fixing the sensors...until they finally found water in the PCN. So, they ordered a new PCN and installed it. After installing it, they drove it all day to make sure it was fixed...Of course, when I got there, the car wouldn't even start. They kept calling Ford to help them diagnose and fix the problem. They are now making a "rain Jacket" for my "NEW" PCN. Ford basically told the dealership to figure it out...they definitely need to recall the vehicle and fix the problem...
 
I hear there is another Freestar in the shop now...at least with them, they know what the problem is...and will build a "rain shield" for that car.

#11 of 16 Correlating Dealership visits with Transmission Problems by smtmuny

Feb 02, 2010 (6:56 pm)

Can everyone posting under this forum give the date of your last dealership service/repair visit PRIOR to the date of your transmission failure OR pronounced transmission operation? Why am I asking for this information? With slow U.S. auto sales over the past 5 years or so, I honestly believe their are some dealership technicians THAT WILL "TWEEK YOUR FREESTAR" in a different area (most cases their repair or service work is warranted for 12 months) so as to cause a failure in the near future THUS ENSURING THEY ARE KEPT BUSY (job security) as the dealership continues to make money on maintenance repairs or trade-ins. Would you say transmission work is the probably the #1 or #2 most expensive work next to major engine repairs or replacements? So again in closing, can everyone go back and correlate the last dealership repair/service visit date with the date of the transmission failure or pronounced transmission abnormal operation?

#12 of 16 Please call ford by kjmk15

Mar 21, 2011 (3:40 pm)

I have a 2006 freestar and the seal around my computer failed. First I was told that a gasket was bad then the said the seal was bad. Water damage to the computer is not covered under my extended service plan but IF it was due to a damaged part it would be covered. AFTER NUMEROUS HOURS ON THE PHONE, I was told that a seal is a body part and of course my computer is not covered. Why would a vital component such as a computer not be protected better and why would it be placed on the bottom of a windsheild that would direct the rain right into it. I am trying to fight ford on this does anyone have any idea how to go about this. I have called ford's consumer affairs and customer service. After reading the above post I feel this is a problem for many other people. If people continue to call maybe something can be done to correct this. call 1800 392-3673 ask for Cindy she is the consumer affairs manager. I am not going to let this rest, ford needs to fix this problem.

#13 of 16 Re: Please call ford [kjmk15] by philvid

May 03, 2011 (10:18 am)

Replying to: kjmk15 (Mar 21, 2011 3:40 pm)
Me too, the ECU died last week because of infiltration. It cost me $1600 CAD at the Ford dealer. That's after me transmission went last august, so that's another $2400 CAD for the bloody transmission. What's her last name Madame Cindy ?

#14 of 16 check engine light by shakirpak5

Feb 10, 2012 (1:22 pm)

i have freestar 2005, before everything was good but know i have check engine light problem,
any body hav salution

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